Spiritual Friendship: Learning to Be Friends with God and One Another

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Spiritual Friendship

son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established” (1 Sam 20:31). Who would not be moved by these words, who would not become envious? Whose love, favor, and friendship would they not corrupt, threaten, and destroy? But this young man most lovingly preserved the laws of friendship and showed himself proof against threats, patient against insults, and all for friendship’s sake disdainful of the king, heedless of glory, but mindful of grace. “You shall be king over Israel,” he said, “and I shall be next to you” (1 Sam 23:17). 95. “Some have been found,” says Cicero, who “think it shameful to prefer money to friendship,” but it is impossible to find those “who do not rank offices, magistracies, empires, power, and wealth higher than friendship. The result is that, once these worldly things have been set before them on one side and the power of friendship has been set on the other, they prefer the worldly things by far. For human nature is feeble when it comes to spurning power; where,” Cicero asks, “will you find someone who would place the honor of his friend before his own?” 6 96. This is that true, perfect, stable, and eternal friendship which envy cannot corrupt, suspicion cannot diminish, and ambition cannot dissolve. Even though it is tested, it does not cease; even if it is battered as by Saul, it does not fall into pieces; when it is struck by so many insults, it shines through as steadfast, and it remains immovable no matter how many injuries it has suffered. Therefore, “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). However, if you think it difficult or even impossible to give preference to the one you love over yourself, you

6 Cicero, On Friendship , 17.63–64.